Skeleton bling

An art historian nicknamed ‘Indiana Bones’ has unearthed a haunting collection of jewel-encrusted skeletons which were hidden in churches across Europe up to 400 years ago.

LA-based photographer Paul Koudounaris lifts the lid on the ornamental skeletons in a new book Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures & Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs.

The skeletons, originally believed to be those of Christian martyrs were unearthed in Rome in 1578, and distributed to churches in Germany Austria and Switzerland where they were adorned with jewels and gold and silver.

“As I discovered more about them I had this feeling that it was my duty to tell their fascinating story,” Koudounaris told the Huffington Post.

By the 1800s, the excessive decorations were deemed over-the-top and were largely removed from public view.

“Tracking down the remaining skeletons involved lots of detective work, and for all the ones that are on display there are a lot that aren’t,” Koudounaris said.

“Some were in churches but others were hidden away in storage containers and lock-ups.”